eowland



5 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

T. F. ROWLAND.l

, GAS HOLDER.

No. 3938.724.A

Patented N ov. 27, 1888.

Nl PETERS. mmumagnpmr. wamingmn. ne

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

T'. F. ROWLAND.

GAS HOLDER.

Patented Nv. '27, 1888..

N. PETERS1 mwumagmpnr, wishingm. nc,

(No Modem 5 sheets-sheen s. 'I'. F. RO'WLAND.

GAS HOLDER.

Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

No. '3Q-3,724.

@gaf/Q 5 Sheets-Sheet 4'.

(No Moae1.)

' T. F. ROWLAND.

GAS HOLDER.

116.393.724; 'Patented Nov. 2v, 1888.

IAILI IIIIIILIIIIIIZI Ill ...V--i 1 1----- I-- 1-.- I-- -L A wf a ai 4l. d llIll "l l l .|.I lllllll lll a iwi L (No mdidiya 5 sheets-sheet 5.

' 4 T. F. ROWLAND.

GAS HOLDER.'

Patented Nov. 2-7, 18,88.A

v N/PETERS. mailman. wuhinpnn. 0.a

3 5 the foundation of the gas-holder.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. ROWLAND OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAS-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,724, dated November27, 1888.

Application tiled February 6, 1888. Serial No. 263,125. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. ROWLAND, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvenients inGas-Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The-present invention relates to gas-holders in general; but the variousfeature of improvemont relate particularly to gas-holders of large rosize, as such improvements consist, mainly, of

means to overcome the difficulties incident to the construction of verylarge structures of this kind. These various features of improvementare, however, applicable to small gas- I 5 holders.

Th'ata commensurate conception may be had of the necessities calling forand of the iinportance attaching to the various improvements that Ishall hereinafter describe, and of 2o the saving that from an economicpoint of view tion, and from the plans of which the accompanyingdrawings are reduced:

In full numbers,the tank of the gas-holder is one hundred andninety-four feet in diameter and forty-three feet in height, and itcontains 3o three hundred and forty-four thousand tons of water, theholder being capable of extension to a point where its dome would be onehundred and forty-one feet above the ground.

Figure l of the drawings is a plan lview of Figs. 2 and 3 are detailsections of the piling parts thereof. Fig. 4 is a plan of the tank. Fig.5 is an elevation thereof. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sections of thecorrugated bottom of the tank.

4o Fig. 8 is an elevation of apart of the tank and one of its abutments.Figs. 9 and 10 are a horizontal, and Fig. l1- a vertical, section of thesame. Fig. l2 is an elevation of a portion of the gas-holder. Figs. 13and 14 are vertical and horizontal sections thereof, re-

spectively. Fig. 15 is an elevation of a portion of the guide-frame ofthe gas-holder. Figs. 16 and 17 are vertical and horizontal sec` tionsthereof, respectively.

In the building of such a structure it is apparent thatgreat care mustbe exercised to provide a suitable foundation for the tank,particularlywhere the ground is soft or unstable, as when marshy, orwhen quicksand is found. One method of securing a suitable foundationhas been to make a groundwork of piling extending throughout the area ofthe base of the tank; but this, obviously, for very large tanks wouldadd very greatly to the cost of the Work, and it is desirable to reducesuch cost as much as possible. Another method has been to construct afoundation of annular.

piling, and to provide the tank with a bed or bottom of mound shape,rounding slightly upward from the piling to the central vertical line ofthe tank, such mound-like bottom or base being constructed of materialsuitable to permit it,under the weight of the tank and its contents, tosettle some distance, if need be, without rupturing or otherwiseinjuring the structure. This method is productive of a saving in thematter of piling; but when -very large tanks are to be built the dangeris that by the increase in bottom area such bottom is liable, under thealso increased load of the superstructure and contents, to settle so faras to become ruptured, and thereby offer no protection to the tank beingundermined.

The first feature of my invention, therefore, has for its object toconstruct the bottom of the tank so that it shall have a wide range offlexibility; and this feature consists of a gas-holder tank, the bottomor floor of which is coniposed of a rigid marginal or edge portion,which is attached to the surrounding walls of the tank and rests uponthe uuyielding piled foundation of such wall, and an inner yieldingportion that rests upon the unstable or unpiled foundation, and Vanexpansible joint uniting the outer (intiexble) and the inner (dexible)portions of the bottom.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, A represents the annular structure of piles,which extends the requisite distance below the surface of the ground tosecure the desired stability of foundation. Upon this piling is laid thebed B, composed of stone and concrete, and which is of a thicknessadapted to the size of the tank. Over the area inclosed by the piling isalso laid the concrete bottoni G, which is an extension of the mainfoundation-bed B and integral therewith, but not of the same thickness.This bed C rises slightly to the center of the foundation area so as toform a mound. At D is IOO an annular trench or hollow made in theconcrete and extending entirely around the foundation of the tank justinside the piling. E is the outer or marginal part ofthe bottom of thetank, which is composed of plates of iron riveted together and suitablyattached t0 the vertical walls of the tank. This part of the bottomrests upon the built-up foundation and is thereby held rigidly in place.E' is the inner plate ofthe bottoni of the tank, which is 'also made upof iron plates riveted together;

but this portion ofthe bottom rests mainly upon the natural foundation,and is therefore subject to the saine settling or other move ment thatthis unbuilt foundation may have. F is the expansible joint whichconnects the inner and outer portions of the bottom. rlhis joint isfitted to the annular trench D, and is preferably constructed as shownin Figs. d and 7, though it will be plain that this `joint may be ofother forms and otherwise arranged between the rigid and flexibleportions ofthe tanklbottom. By this means the bottom ol' the tank may beconstructed to safely yield to an extentquite equal to and, if required,more than the probable range of settling or of the sinking away of theunpiled ground below, and this is true whether the ground settleregularly or more in one place than in another, so that a warping actionor other like tendency to dangerous or rupturing strains be set up.Accordingly this expansible capacity of the bottom of the gas-holdertank relieves the builder of the necessity of providingr an absolutelystable foundation throughout, and corn respondingly saves in the cost offoundationwork, though it is of course to be understood thatthe groundinclosed by the main foundaA tion will generally have a no greater'sinking or shifting tendency than is due to the weight of thesuperstructure and contents.

The second feature of invention relates to the construction of the bodyof the tank.

lt is well known that in structures of this kind the lateral or burstingpressure upon the walls thereof, due to the contained water, is greatestat the bottom and decreases toward the top; and it must be plain that inlarge tanks (such, for instance,- as in the use of a structure of thedimensions given) the great head of water produces strains upon thestructure that call for the heaviest plates in the construction of thetank that the market affords. In fact, rolled plates of sufficientthickness are not produced, and if the required thickness is to be hadby single plates they must be forged at great expense. Furthermore, theworking of the plates of the requisite thickness could only be done atlarge expense, if, in fact, at all. It has, therefore, become essentialto devise a method of using the rolled plates now procurable and yetsecure the proper strength in the building of large tank structures.

To this end the second feature of niyinvention consists of a gasholdertank, the vertical walls of which are doubled or composed of two courseoverlap the abuttingjoint.

Figs. S to 11 represent a tank built according to this method.Commencing with the bottom of the vertical wall, a course of twosuperimposed plates, (l (l, forming an inner` and an outer layer, isemployed. '.lhe plaies of either layer are laid flat upon those of theother, and with their ends abutting, and so that the outer plates breakjoints with those of the inner layer. The upper edge of the inner layerof this course abuis against the lower edge of the outer layer of thenext adA joining course, ll. 1l. rlhe outer layer, (l, overlaps thejointthereby formed on the out side, and the inner layer, lf, overlaps it onthe inside of the tank. There the plates of a layer abut, a binder, l,is used to connect such adjoining ends and lo insure the same strengthat the vertical joints as the body of the plate has. The plates are allproperly riveted together in the separate courses, as also are thecourses to each other; and this arrangement of the plates and the layersof the courses is preserved so far as a doubled wall is necessary, itbeing understood, of course, that the abutting layers of the courses arealternately the inner and outer layers. By this arrangement of theplates and layers it will be seen that every joint is protected uponboth sides, and that the tripled thickness at thejoints insures the samestrength as at any other portion of a course.

In the present structure the plates are double for about only onehalt`of the height of the tank. lf the requirements demand, however, thisdouble thickness might be carried still higher, as, also three or moreplates might be used to make up the thickness of the walls of the tankat the bottom thereof, and for a sufficient height above the bottom.

The advantages incident to this method of constructing the tank arenumerous and iinportant; but essentially there is a great saving in thecost of the material of the structure and inthe working thereofthatis,in the handling, punching and riveting, bending and shaping. In fact,the cost of the plates necessary to build up the requisite thickness isless than would be the cost of single plates of the requisite thickness,and the manipulation of the thinner plates represents in total 'a lessexpense than would be incurred in the manipulation of such thickerplates were it attempted to use them.

With tanks 0f large dimensions and great height the tendency of thetanks to rack or careen at the top, and thereby twist or rag the edge.

structure,'becomes asource of liability to weakness that I have foundvery essential to guard against.-

The third feature of invention consists,there fore, of a tankre-enforced at its top by an annular box-curb extending entirely aroundthe tank on the outside and forminga part thereof, as also, incombination with the tank and such curb, of abutting pillars arranged atproper intervals around the tank and bracing the same, and upon whichthe said curb rests.

Figs. 8 and 11 illustrate this curb, where it is indicated by the letterJ. It is made of suitable plates and angle-iron riveted together, and issecured to the tank just below its upper It may be otherwiseconstructed, but the form hereshow n will be generally preferred, as itbest joins with and forms a strong and secure landing for theguide-columns of the holder.

K represents abutments, which rise from the base B at regular intervalsaround the outside ofthe tank to the annular curb J, and are verysecurely anchored in the foundation, and properly secured to the wallsof the tank and to the annular curb at its top. The construction ofthese abutments and their various means of connection to the tank andannular curb are in accordance with the usual methods of makingstructures of this kind, and therefore a specific description of them isnot essential. Generally they consist of suitable angleirons,channel-beams, and the like, together with plates, all duly shaped andriveted together. rlhese abutments give stability to the tank and affordthe bracing necessary therefor. They also support the annular curb atthe top ofthe tank and forni the loose portions of the guide-pillars ofthe holder. It should also be noted that the annular curb forms aconnection between the tops of the abutments,thereby obviating thenecessity of special trusses forthat purpose, and tying t-he whole tankstructure into one very rigid and powerful system best calculated toresist the enormous strains and` pressure that must be set up in astructure of such dimensions.

I am aware that curbs similar in form have been used at the top and uponthe inside of a gasholder; but in such ease it forms .a part of the roofor closed top of the holder and does not serve the same purpose intendedfor a curb when placed upon the outside of the top of a tank, as justdescribed. There it operates to take the rag and circumferential strainsof the open top of that structure and as a connection between the tankand its abutting pillars, as also between the pillars themselves.

In the construction of gas-holders it has been common to make the hollowcylindrical holder, which is suspended above and in the tank, ofcomparatively small plates regularly overlapping each other and arrangedin continuous layers or breadths extending nnbrokenly around the holder.Theleakage of these holders is an objection that it is desirable toovercome as far as possible-at least to guard against to the fullestextentparticularly in large holders. The amount ofA leakage ismanifestly in direct ratio to the number of joints, and the larger theholder the greater will be the effect of the strains to which t-heholder is subjected and the greater the liability of opening up thejoints.

The fourth feature of' invention is embodied in aholder the verticalwalls of which are made up of a vertical frame-work of uprights or ribssecured to the dome at regular intervals around its outer edge, and oflong unbroken plates reaching longitudinally between said uprights, suchplates being properly overlapped and riveted together and to theuprights.

L, Figs. 12, 13, and 14, represent these uprights. They consist of longnarrow strips or plates backed and stili'ened by interior hollowbracing-ribs, M. At their tops these uprights are secured to thecircular curb N, which supports the roof or dome of the holder. To theuprights are riveted the plates O, each of which extends from oneupright to another, the lower edge of each plate underlying the upperedge of the next lower adjacent plate and the plates continuing aroundthe holder in regularlayers. By this arrangement the number of joints inthe holder is reduced to a minimum, and consequently the effects tendingto cause leakage are correspondingly prevented. Furthermore, thevertical framework and stiffening-ribs greatly strengthen the holder andmake it more rigid, and in so much also reduce the tendency t-o leakage.

l? indicates the seal at the bottom of the holder, which is of the usualform, and is designed to receive the corresponding overhang of the lowerpart of the holder, which lower part or parts (if there be more thanone) may' be constructed after the manner ofthe top part alreadydescribed.

Figs. 15 to I7 show the frame-work that incloses the holder, Q, beingthe guidecolumns that are mounted upon thelanding formed by the curbJsurrounding the top of the tank, R being the diagonal tie-rods and Sthe struts that connect and brace the guide-columns and bind them intoone continuous circular system. The various parts of this system areconstructed and combined in a way well understood in the art, and do nottherefore call for further explicit explanation.

What is claimed as new is# 1. The combination, with the vertical wallsof a gasholder tank, of a bottom having a rigid marginal part attachedto the vertical walls ofthe tank, an interior flexible part-,and anexpansible joint uniting the said marginal and interior parts,substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a gas-holder tank, the combination, with the vertical walls of thetank, of a bottom composed of a rigid marginal part attached to the saidvertical walls, and an interior flexible part united to said marginalpart by an expansible joint, and a built-up ICO foundation or pilingnpon which said marginal part rests, substantially as and forthepurposes hereinbelore set foi th. I 3. A gas holder tank, thevertical walls of l which are Composed of courses of two 01 more zplates riveted together, the plates beingT ai" ranged in layers ol'single thieknesa, and the corresponding.;` layers oi' adjoining` coursesoverlapping.;` each other, substantially as and forthe purposeshereinhetore set forth. 4. A gas-holder tank, the vertical walls offwhich are composed of eonlses oi' two or more j plates riveted together,the plates heinfc,T ar- [l l l l l a gasholder tank, abutinents attachedto suoli walls from the base to the top thereof and serving as bracestherefor, and a box-curb located at the top of and surrounding saidwalls and rigidly attached to the same and to the abntnients, wherebythe said enrb and abutwork l'or the tanlrwalln, Substantially as setforth.

(i. In a holding structure, the combination, with the roof of the holderand its curb, of nprights extending from the curb tothe bottom ol' theholder, and horizontallyarranged plates extending nnbrokenly between thenprights and properly secured thereto and to one another, substantiallyas set forth.

THOS. F. Tt() VLA Nl).

ranged in layers ot' single thickness, the eorl responding` layers ofadjoining,` Courses overlapping each other, and the plates o1' the onelayer ol' eaeh course breakingr joint with those 5 of the adjoininglayer ol' the same eonrse,snh Stantially as and i'or the purposeshereinhefore set forth.

In combination with the vertical walls of;

lVitnesses:

UHREN E. HILL. .on'ix F. GAS/Loan.

niente forni a stiffening and bracing frame@

